together we have a voice

Can you keep a secret? God knows, I can't. And I've been keeping this since.. sometime in January.

After American Apparel asked me if I wanted to run their ad, I ran this idea by them, and they got it: take a girl off the street (in this case, Emily, who I spotted and dotted outside Topshop last November: 'emily's style'). I asked her to meet me at American Apparel's Carnaby Street shop yesterday, wearing whatever she wanted. I didn't want to know. She knew that we were doing this for free, but did it anyway. She's starting to do catwalk modeling, so I caught her just in time. I am so lucky, and so grateful!



This is how she looked when we met (not bad, obviously: this is not a make-over! I chose her because I feel she's a natural style icon: a DOt icon, if you will ; ) We then went 'shopping' - basically, tried on a few things. It's funny, the first thing she chose was their new riding pants (translation: trousers, not knickers), in black (I've got my eye on the same pair, in taupe). Oh and btw: if you want to buy these trousers, and click thru on the ad, I'll get a commission!



We shot her on the street, with everyone passing by (and countless guys clowning around, getting in the shots, leering, you name it). It was a quick thing. It was really hard to choose, you'll see more in time (and other looks: this one happened to be all black), but I just wanted you to have a taste.



Here's what I'd like you to do: Please use the top shot on your blog - just let me know when you do, by leaving a comment on this post. It's like being tagged, but you're basically tagging it forward. If you'd like, tell your friends. You can reduce the shot, write what you want.. I want to show American Apparel how much of a collective force we are.



Would you mind spreading the word? If you do, definitely comment with the link to your blog, so we can check your blog out.

Even if you don't have a blog: if you comment here that you saw this and like the trousers.. who knows? If enough of us pick them up they may let me do it again. And there could be ways we all can profit. I mean, let's face it: most of us who blog are already doing our bit, for free, for our favourite brands' PR. It's just a fine line, really. I want to do this as a series, shooting YOU: the Dot Icons on the street. Together, we can transform how advertising works.

Together, I passionately believe, we have a voice.

Emily's black riding pants are by American Apparel, ladylike big black purse is her mom's, lace body is similar to one also by AA, and everything else, model's own.